The briefing for Sunday, January 18.

President Trump announced Saturday he will impose 10% tariffs on eight European countries—Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland—beginning February 1, escalating to 25% by June 1 unless a deal is reached for U.S. control of Greenland. The tariffs target nations Trump says oppose American acquisition of the autonomous Danish territory, which he deems essential for national security and missile defense systems.

The move drew swift condemnation from European leaders. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called applying tariffs on allies "completely wrong," while French President Emmanuel Macron termed it "unacceptable" and Swedish PM Ulf Kristersson said his country won't be "blackmailed." European Council President António Costa warned the tariffs "risk a dangerous downward spiral" in transatlantic relations. The announcement came as hundreds protested in Greenland's capital Nuuk and thousands more rallied across Denmark in support of Greenlandic self-governance, carrying signs reading "Greenland is not for sale."

Danish military officials aboard vessels in Nuuk told the AP they don't expect a NATO country to attack another NATO ally, even as European troops deployed to Greenland for Arctic defense training exercises. A bipartisan U.S. congressional delegation led by Senator Chris Coons attempted to reassure Denmark of American support, with Coons urging de-escalation. The situation highlights unprecedented strain within NATO as Trump uses trade penalties to pursue territorial ambitions, with unclear legal authority under U.S. law to implement such tariffs.

The dispute raises fundamental questions about the future of the Western alliance dating to 1949. Several European countries had agreed to Trump's 15% tariffs last year to preserve economic and security relationships with Washington, but resistance has steadily built to his Greenland ambitions. The controversy occurs as Trump insists Greenland's strategic Arctic location makes it vulnerable to Russian and Chinese influence, though Danish military commanders say they haven't observed Chinese or Russian combat vessels near the island despite Trump's claims.

President Trump's "Board of Peace," initially conceived to oversee Gaza reconstruction, is taking shape with ambitions to become a new international organization that could rival the United Nations in resolving global conflicts. In invitation letters sent Friday to world leaders including Argentina's Javier Milei, Paraguay's Santiago Peña, Canada's Mark Carney, Egypt's Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Trump described the board as "the most impressive and consequential board ever assembled" that would address conflicts beyond Gaza.

The White House announced two separate executive boards Friday. The founding Executive Board includes six Americans—Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, envoy Steve Witkoff, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, Apollo Global Management CEO Marc Rowan, and World Bank President Ajay Banga. The Gaza Executive Board, led by former Bulgarian politician Nickolay Mladenov as High Representative, includes officials from Turkey, Qatar, and the UAE, plus Israeli businessman Yakir Gabay. Notably, no Palestinians were named to these senior levels, though a separate Palestinian technocratic committee led by civil engineer Dr. Ali Shaath will handle day-to-day Gaza administration.

The ambitious scope has drawn criticism and geopolitical concerns. Israel's government issued a rare rebuke Saturday, saying the Gaza executive committee "was not coordinated with Israel and is contrary to its policy," with Prime Minister Netanyahu directing the foreign ministry to contact Secretary Rubio. Critics including Palestinian politician Mustafa Barghouti and UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese have condemned the structure as resembling "a colonial solution imposed over the heads of the Palestinians," with particular opposition to Tony Blair's inclusion given his role in the Iraq War.

A senior U.S. official acknowledged the expanded role remains "aspirational" but said Trump and advisers believe it's achievable given frustration with the UN. Daniel Forti of the International Crisis Group warned this represents "a U.S. shortcut in an attempt to wield its veto power on world affairs," potentially allowing America to sidestep longstanding agreements around sovereignty. The proposal would likely face strong opposition from China and Russia, which hold UN Security Council veto power, as well as smaller nations concerned about losing their voice in international decisions.

The European Union and South America's Mercosur bloc formally signed a landmark free trade agreement Saturday in Paraguay's capital Asunción, capping more than 25 years of negotiations. The deal creates one of the world's largest free trade zones, bringing together a market of more than 700 million consumers that accounts for a quarter of global GDP. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declared "the geopolitical importance of this agreement cannot be overstated" as Trump announced tariffs on European nations the same day.

The agreement eliminates more than 90% of tariffs on goods and services between European and Mercosur markets, though some tariffs will be phased out over 10-15 years and key farm products like beef face strict quotas to address European farmers' concerns. The deal was pushed by South America's cattle-raising countries seeking market access and European industrial sectors craving new markets for cars and machinery. Agricultural powerhouse Italy crossed the line to support the accord earlier this month, though France remains opposed due to President Macron's concerns about driving voters to the far right.

The signing ceremony was attended by presidents of Mercosur members Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay, plus Brazil's foreign minister. Von der Leyen emphasized the pact represents choosing "fair trade over tariffs" and "a productive long-term partnership over isolation" amid rising global protectionism. The deal marks a major geopolitical victory for the EU in expanding its foothold in a resource-rich region increasingly contested by Washington and Beijing.

The politically explosive agreement still faces one final hurdle: ratification by the European Parliament. Powerful protectionist lobbies, particularly European farmers scared of cheap South American agricultural imports, have long sought to scupper the deal and could still stall implementation. Tractor drivers clogged streets across Europe in recent weeks protesting the agreement. Brazilian trade lawyer João Paulo Cavalcanti noted that "everything will depend on the political appetite of the European Parliament," which could clearly create an obstacle to approval.

Canada announced Friday it has reached a deal with China to slash tariffs on electric vehicles and agricultural products, with Prime Minister Mark Carney declaring Canada's relationship with Beijing has become "more predictable" than its relationship with the United States under Trump. The agreement will see Canada ease 100% tariffs on Chinese EVs that it imposed alongside the US in 2024, while China will lower retaliatory tariffs on Canadian canola oil from 84% to 15%, providing relief to hard-hit farmers in provinces like Saskatchewan.

The move represents a significant recalibration of Canada's China policy, coming less than a year after Carney himself called China "the biggest security threat" facing Canada. Carney told reporters Friday that "the world has changed" and Canada was "recalibrating" its relationship with China "strategically, pragmatically, and decisively." He added that Canada is "taking the world as it is, not as we wish it to be," acknowledging ongoing uncertainty with the US, Canada's largest trade partner.

Reaction was sharply divided. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe hailed it as "very good news" for canola farmers, while Ontario Premier Doug Ford, whose province houses Canada's auto sector, criticized the deal saying it "would hurt our economy and lead to job losses" by inviting "a flood of cheap made-in-China electric vehicles." US trade representative Jamieson Greer called the deal "problematic," though President Trump surprisingly said "if you can get a deal with China, you should do that."

Experts say the move reflects Canada's recognition that the future of North American free trade remains unclear as Trump threatens to rip up the USMCA agreement and has imposed tariffs on Canadian sectors like metals and automotives. Eric Miller of Rideau Potomac Strategy Group said Carney is "essentially saying that Canada has agency too, and that it's not going to just sit and wait for the United States." Business professor Vivek Astvansh noted approximately 10% of Canada's EV sales are now expected to go to Chinese automakers, putting pressure on US-based companies like Tesla seeking to expand in Canada.

Syrian government forces entered the strategic northern town of Deir Hafer and seized the nearby Jarrah air base Saturday after Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces withdrew from the area. State media reported government troops also took control of the crucial Tabqa dam and air base in Raqqa province, marking significant territorial gains as Damascus pushes to assert control over areas previously held by the US-backed SDF in eastern Syria.

The advance followed an agreement after deadly clashes earlier this month in Aleppo left 23 dead. SDF commander Mazloum Abdi announced Friday his forces would withdraw east of the Euphrates River, responding to "calls from friendly countries and mediators" including US military officials who visited the area. The withdrawal came after President Ahmad al-Sharaa issued a decree Friday making Kurdish a national language and recognizing the Kurdish Newroz festival as an official holiday—the first formal recognition of Kurdish rights since Syria's 1946 independence.

However, both sides accused each other of violating the agreement's terms. The SDF said Damascus "violated the terms" by entering towns before Kurdish fighters fully withdrew, creating "a highly dangerous situation." Syrian state media countered that SDF fighters attacked an army patrol near Maskana, killing two soldiers. The Syrian army also accused Kurdish forces of executing prisoners in Tabqa before withdrawing, allegations the SDF denied while sharing video of armed men seizing the prison.

The territorial changes affect areas the SDF captured from Islamic State during the fight against the group's so-called Caliphate over the past decade. US special envoy Tom Barrack was scheduled to meet with Mazloum Abdi in Iraq's Erbil on Saturday. Relations between the SDF and Arab tribes in eastern Deir el-Zour province remain strained, with unconfirmed reports of local armed groups taking control of strategic Al-Omar oil and Conoco gas fields near US troop bases. The Kurdish administration in northeast Syria said rights should be protected by constitutional guarantees rather than "temporary decrees."

NASA's 322-foot Space Launch System rocket completed its 12-hour, 4-mile journey to Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center on Saturday, moving at just 1 mph as thousands of space center workers and families gathered to witness the historic event. The rocket and Orion crew capsule, weighing 11 million pounds combined, were transported on a massive crawler used during the Apollo and shuttle eras, upgraded to handle the SLS rocket's extra weight.

The rollout prepares for the Artemis II mission, which could launch as early as February 6 pending a "wet dress rehearsal" fueling test in early February. Four astronauts—NASA's Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen—will fly around the Moon on a 10-day mission, becoming the first humans to travel to the Moon since Apollo 17's Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt in December 1972. Only four of the 12 moonwalkers from the Apollo era remain alive, with Buzz Aldrin turning 96 on Tuesday.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman led the celebration alongside the four astronauts. Commander Wiseman told the crowd that Apollo moonwalkers are "so fired up that we are headed back to the moon. They just want to see humans as far away from Earth as possible discovering the unknown." Koch described the calm astronauts feel on launch day because "we're just so ready to fulfil the mission that we came here to do, that we've trained to do."

The mission comes after extensive delays following heat shield damage and other capsule problems during the first SLS test flight in November 2022, which sent an empty Orion capsule into orbit around the Moon. Artemis II won't orbit or land on the Moon—that will come with Artemis III a few years later. During the mission, the crew will spend the first two days in Earth orbit reaching 40,000 miles out, then travel a quarter million miles to fly around the far side of the Moon with three hours dedicated to lunar observation to help plan for the future south pole landing.